1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of and a system for receiving orders for prints of image data by way of a network and to a program for causing a computer to execute processing of receiving orders for prints of image data by way of a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been known various digital photo-service systems for providing various services on digital pictures such as digitizing pictures taken by users and storing digital image data representing the pictures in an image server, recording digital image data representing the pictures taken by users on a CD-Rand providing the CD-R to the users, printing pictures taken by digital cameras, and receiving orders for extra copies. As one form of such digital photo-service systems, there has been proposed a network photo-service system for receiving, for instance, orders for prints by way of a network such as the Internet.
In such a network photo-service system, users install in their personal computers (user terminals) viewer software for reproducing image data recorded in a CD-R or image data which the users obtain by the use of their digital camera and reproduce images on the basis of the image data, and creates order information representing the contents of order by the use of an order function installed in the viewer software. Then the users send the order information to the order receipt server from their user terminal by way of a network together with image data representing the images to be printed.
The order receipt server transfers the image data and the order information to a print server in a photo-processing shop (e.g., a large-scale laboratory or a mini laboratory). In the print server, for instance, extra copies are printed, post cards with a picture are printed or an album is made on the basis of the order information.
Prints thus obtained is sent to a shop which the user designates in advance upon sending the order information and the user visits the shop to receive the prints and pay the shop.
The “order information” includes, for instance, a process number for designating the content of service such as printing extra copies or making postcards, a picture number for designating the picture on which the service is to be done, the size of the prints, the number of copies, the quality of the print surface (glossy or matte), the thickness of the print, the contents of processing, an information on trimming. The “order information” may sometimes include the name, address, zip code, telephone number and the like of the user making the order.
Recently there have appeared mail-order firms which run a mail-order business on a web site of the Internet. Some of such mail-order firms want to provide a network photo-service such as described above. Further, some photo-processing shops also want to provide such a network photo-service.
However since construction of such a network photo-service system is very costly, it is very inefficient for the mail-order firms or the photo-processing shops to individually construct such a network photo-service system. Accordingly, for the mail-order firms or the photo-processing shops, it is desirable to associate with an existent photo-processing firm already running a network photo-service system and to have business executed by the existent firm. This is also desirable for the existent photo-processing firm already running a network photo-service system in that it provides an additional chance of business.
However when the network photo-service system run by the existent photo-processing firm is used as it is, there arises a problem that the name of the existent photo-processing firm is displayed on the screen or the price is set as set by the existent photo-processing firm when an order of prints is to be made, which is trouble for the mail-order firms or the photo-processing shops who want to provide a network photo-service system with its own brand and can result in loss of additional chance of business for the existent photo-processing firm already running a network photo-service system.